Brendan Rodgers has said the raw memory of how Liverpool "exposed" Arsenal at Anfield will weigh on Arsène Wenger's players in Sunday's FA Cup reunion.

Liverpool enter the fifth round tie at the Emirates Stadium with increased self-belief after demolishing Arsenal 5-1 last Saturday and closing the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to four points with a stoppage-time win at Fulham in midweek.

Arsenal were unable to respond at home to Manchester United, producing what Wenger described as a nervous display due to the manner of their Anfield defeat. A swift encounter with the team responsible for the mauling will, Rodgers believes, play on Arsenal minds as they again struggle at a defining point in the season.

"You could see Arsenal were nervous in the game the other night, you could sense that," the Liverpool manager said. "It's never easy when you get exposed like that but mainly it was down to our brilliance on the day really. We were outstanding.

"Usually a team will get time to get over a defeat like that so to come across us so quickly afterwards, it will be interesting to see the effects. When you put in a performance like we did against Arsenal, who were top of the league, it is one that can stick in the mind a wee bit more. But they will be motivated for this game.

"Players at this level are really competitive and will want to show the defeat is past them. They have some outstanding players, they have real quality right throughout the team and theyhave the quality to come back. But if we can get anywhere near the level we were at in the league game we will have a great chance of winning."

Rodgers believes Arsenal's impending Champions League date with the holders, Bayern Munich, will be another factor in Liverpool's favour on Sunday, when the visitors will field their strongest team possible. He added: "We want to win the FA Cup and because we don't have a game in midweek we can go as strong as we wish to go. It might be different for Arsenal with a massive Champions League game to come, but we won't have to rest anybody."

The Liverpool defender Aly Cissokho admitted he has never been involved a game like the 5-1 rout during his career, one that includes spells at Lyon and Valencia, and believes it has left an indelible mark. The on-loan left back said: "It will be very tough for Arsenal after losing the game like they did last week. Arsenal like to dominate, to pass the ball a lot, but I've never experienced anything like that in a game between two such big teams in the first 20 minutes, with the quality of passing, the goals we scored and the atmosphere it created.

"Lets hope no one arrived late as it would have been a real sickener if you'd missed that. It will stick in my memory and everyone else who was there."

Cissokho also claimed Arsenal have again suffered a loss of form at a critical juncture and that the Bayern game adds to the pressure on Wenger's team in the FA Cup. "It's been a tough week for Arsenal with losing to us, drawing against United and then with Bayern Munich, the Champions League holders, just around the corner," he added.

"It's a difficult run for them and they're not in the best run of form at the moment. But Arsène Wenger is very experienced and a lot of the players are too. We have to make sure we profit from their drop in form and don't let them develop their game. We must get on top from the first tackle and make them uncomfortable. In their mind they must be thinking of Bayern too. We have to get on top early and concentrate on the cup."

Rodgers deployed Luis Suárez on the right to devastating effect against Nacho Monreal last Saturday and insists the striker's selfless contribution "showed what a true team player he is". The Liverpool manager explained: "He is prepared to do it for the team. I've seen a mix with Luis with Uruguay too, I've seen him play wide and also through the middle with Cavani. He'll do what is best for the team but he'll always get himself in those goalscoring positions."